FOWLR OWNERS, please advise.

[Josh's Reef]

(1) what do you guys use as mechanichal filtration?
(2) do you guys use protien skimmers?
how about uv?
(3) with the heavy bio loads do you keep deep sand beds?
(4) what kind of lighting systems?
(5a) any inverts?(5b)if not, do you treat a tank with copper if need be?
thanx

 

[Josh's Reef]

Just want to make sure I do it right.
I am tearing down my 220reef. Just keeping the rock for the natural look.

 

[JohnD]

Josh,

I have 2 30 gallon FOWLR.
1) I do not use mechanical filtration.
2) Each tank has a BakPak2 protein skimmer running 24/7.
3)No DSB. How heavy bio load are you talking about?
4) One tank has a 2-65 watt PC from Custom Saelife and the other has a 2-30 watt NO fourescent light.
5a) Each tank has snails, crabs and cleaner shrimp.
5b) I have never had to treat with copper.

HTH,

JohnD

 

[Ryan22]

I'm still in the planning stages myself, but here's my plan for my 72 gal bowfront.

Turbofloater 1000 skimmer
Mag 9.5 return pump
fluval 404 canister filter
Fluval 304 canister filter
I have a small tetra tec UV I'm sure I'll end up hooking it up.
3 to 4 inch sand bed
About 70lb of live rock
Normal Output twin tube AGA lighting fixture

I have the two fluvals in my closet so I figured that I might as well use them for extra flow and mechanical filtration. I havent bought the rock yet or hooked up the Fluvals, but that will happen in the next few weeks. Everything else is on the tank and running right now. I don't know if this helps much, but it's my plan. Maybe someone will chime in with a little more experience, and help us both out.

Ryan

 

[M.E.Milz]

IMO, the more you try to run a FO tank like you would a reef tank, the better off you will be. Tha means DSB's, lots of live rock, minimal (if any) mechanical filtration other than protein skimming, etc.

 

[howie099]

I have 105g FOWLR and here is my setup

1)I use a skilter 400 w/o skimmer and floss padding in my sump tray

2)I do have protine skimmer that the venturi clogges every week and UV

3)I have 5 fish,1 shrimp, snails, hermits, 1 sand star (3 of my fish east alage)

4)I have 3 NO bulbs

5) never treaded with copper

 

[fishfarmer]

I maintain a 120 gal FOWLR

1)Amiracle Wet/Dry with balls
2)Emperor Aquatics skimmer
3)40 lbs LR,~50 lbs dead coral, 4"DSB
4)4 25watt NO
5a)6 fish, ~12 snails
5b)Never will use copper

This setup has only been going since April, so it's no where near being established. I set it up with future reef in mind, just need to upgrade lights and do some minor tweaking.

 

[naesco]

I agree totally with ME Miltz. Just rock IMO.

 

[max spl]

IMHO... depending on how stocked the tank is, just live rock may not be sufficient. as FO tanks usually have higher bioloads than reef tanks, more biological filtration is needed to make sure there is waste is processed in an efficient manner.

in my 85 gallon FO, i have about 80 pounds of rock, remora pro skimmer, a canister filter filled with a gallon of bio balls running through an 8 watt UV. there are also three powerheads used for circulation. I have puffers in my FO tanks, so biological filtration is very important...especially after a heavy feeding.

for heavily loaded FO tanks, a wet/dry and a powerful skimmer can be VERY helpful.

protein skimmers are definitely a great help in lowering nutrient levels. if you have liverock, inverts or a DSB in the tank, DO NOT use copper.

[ August 30, 2001: Message edited by: max spl ]

 

[vp39]

Hey Josh,
I have a 120 gal. FOWLR about 100 lbs. of it. I use a wet/dry trickle filter, no protien skimmer. no UV sterilizer. I have never had the scum build up or the greasy look on top of water so i have been running tank without skimmer. If you have a full reef I would probably use the skimmer. I had some trouble a long time ago and listened at the time to someone and ended up with a UV. Since that time i have eventualy found the true cause and when i restarted my tank i left it out.I am using the coral life ballast with 2 bulbs right now. I am going to have to upgrade them a little so i can add anenomies like i want. But even with that i do not add copper to tank.It can be very nasty to the live rock and if you have any feather dusters or mollusks on the rock it will definatly kill them. Oh, if you do use a UV, you dont need to have it on 24/7. maybe 2 hrs a day would be plenty. You dont want to kill alll the bacteria.

Glenn

 

[Josh's Reef]

Thanks for the advise. This is what I have so far. 200lb of live rock(from the reef)a 830 Aerofoamer and a 15 watt uv.My protien skimmer is rated up to a 1000 gallon tank but it is safe to say that it can handle my 220. I use an iwakii 70rlt to return the water but the sump is bare. If I put the balls in they will "turn off" my live rock. My water needs a good polish. Whats the bestwater polisher? I think I should hook up a magnum with the diatom filter. What do you guys think?

 

[Josh's Reef]

PS so far I have 2 purple tangs 1 pseudo steeni 1 chain link moray 10" 1 zebra moray 20" and 3 damsles. I plan on adding an asfur angle a snoflake eel and a harlquin tusk.

 

[fishfarmer]

Post your water parameters, so we can get a feel for how your current system is handling the load. Also how long has the system been running?

 

[OodleyBoodely]

"...if you have liverock, inverts or a DSB in the tank, DO NOT use copper."

Just thought I'd give you a 'why' as I understand it. Using copper to treat for parasites is a balancing act between dosing enough to kill the parasites, but, not poisoning and killing the fish. Copper is readily absorbed by calcium based materials (corals, sand, liverock, ect)which dilutes the copper from the water, while concentrating the toxic metal in the rock and sand. Because of this, once treated with copper, live rock and sand become a source of copper poisoning for fish, especially those that chew on coral. Without using a copper test, you might assume the dose is adaquate to cure your fish when in fact it is not enough to kill the parasites, or if testing for copper, you might notice the levels rapidly dropping and add more copper to maintain an effective dose, thus running the risk of overdosing. And as has already been stated, copper will quickly kill any invertabrates in the tank, and, will continue to kill long after the treatment is over. For this reason, you should only treat with copper in a seperate, bare, quarantine tank.

 

[Josh's Reef]

OOODY BOOTY,
Thanks for the advise , but I want to kill all parasites. Why else would I be running my uv. I dont have any corals or inverts.JUST BARE ROCK. I like the look. I totaly understand the point your trying to make,but if I dont plan on keeping any animals that filter feed I dont see the point in having parasitc nusances in my water column. I really appreciate all the help guys.
Does anyone have a FOWLR system over 200 gall.?

 

[albee1947]

I have a 180 FOWLR, with 2 eels, 1-Zebra 1-Black Tip, a queen angel, 8", yellow tang, 6", 2 large lions, a Niger Trigger, Golden Wrasse, Small Puffer, only 2 hermits that survived the onslaught of the eel's. I run a skimmer, a 25uv, 2000 gph returns and 300+ lbs live rock. I also have about 2to3" live sand. I have a large wet dry about 50 gallons using floss and 50 micron sheets for mechanical filtration and 50 or so lbs of tonga branch pieces for bio instead of bio-balls. Haven't had any troubles outside of a new fish that got sick about 6 month's ago and nearly killed all the fish, But without adding any new inhabitants have had a quality and clean tank. I would never treat with Copper. I have ordered a 10'x3'x2' glass tank to replace both of my tanks. This will also be a FOWLR.

[ August 31, 2001: Message edited by: albee1947 ]